UFC 137 Press Conference Highlights

The road to one of the biggest fights of the year kicks off today in Las Vegas as UFC is holding a press conference to build UFC 137: St. Pierre vs. Diaz. UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, and UFC president Dana White are schedule to attend and field questions.

Five Ounces of Pain will provide live updates from the press conference, including any newsworthy items and quotes from the participants.

Lorenzo Feritta tweeted, “anyone know where Nick Diaz is?” Yesterday, Diaz missed a media appearance in Canada with St. Pierre to promote the fight and it is not known whether or not he will be at todays press conference.

The big news from the press conference is that Diaz, who no-showed back-to-back press conferences and hasn’t talked to Dana since Monday, has been pulled from the UFC 137 main event. Carlos Condit will replace him and challenge St. Pierre for the UFC welterweight title.

Dana White

*Talks about Diaz no-showing yesterday’s press conference in Canada. Says Diaz apologized, got another flight booked, but missed that as well. Diaz’ trainer, Cesar Gracie apologized, called Dana, got a third flight booked, but missed that one as well. Says he hasn’t talked to Diaz since Monday. Says he knew he would have problems with Diaz but told him, “if you want to make money, you have to promote this fight and show up for appearances.”

*Calls GSP a professional for always showing up for media when he should be training.

*Condit is on his way to Vegas. When he was given the news, he started crying and had to call back 15 minutes later to officially accept.

*Says this is the first time Diaz and BJ Penn, who was originally scheduled to fight Condit, have heard this news. “Diaz is gonna hear on the news that he’s no longer fighting Georges St-Pierre, maybe he’ll call me then.”

*Doesn’t think Diaz can handle the pressure of a main event of this magnitude.

*Cesar Gracie called Dana in the middle of the press conference. Cesar apologizes and says, “I agree with you 100%. We’re embarrassed, I’ve been trying to chase Nick around town. No one can find him”

*Says he wouldn’t have cared if Diaz didn’t answer a single question at his media appearances, he just wanted him to show up.

*Says Condit was the first and last fighter considered to fight St. Pierre.

*Says he knew he would have problems with Diaz but if he knew it was going to be like this, he would have never made the fight.

*Has nothing but nice things to say about GSP. “He’s a true professional.” Calls him the best athlete in all of sports.

*Would rather pull the fight now than promote a fight and then have to worry about whether Nick would show up the night of the fight

*Doesn’t officially release Diaz. Just says, “we’ll see what happens.”

Georges St. Pierre

*Thought something bad may have happened to Diaz when he missed the press conference in Canada.

*Can’t understand or believe how or why someone would blow off media appearances. Calls Diaz unprofessional.

*Says that Condit is a more dangerous fight than Diaz. Would put his money on Condit if he fought Diaz.

*GSP still isn’t sure that this isn’t a prank and that Diaz will pop up.

*Says he doesn’t like doing media and staredowns either, but knows it’s part of the promotion and his job.